Ravitch: Field test new standards

Common Core Standards, now adopted by 45 states, should be field tested by teachers, writes Diane Ravitch, who helped draft standards in California, Georgia and Texas.

When the words on paper are brought to life in classrooms by real teachers teaching real students, we learn a lot. We find out that some expectations are too high for that grade; some expectations are too low. And some make no sense.

We learn what is developmentally appropriate. We learn what is realistic. We learn what works. Teachers know because they do the work of bringing the words to life. If the words don’t come to life, they know that too.

Standards are goals that teachers will implement in different ways, writes Kathleen Porter-Magee on Flypaper. “They are nothing more or less than a simple list of knowledge and skills that students should learn at particular grade levels. You can’t ‘field test’ what a state should expect its students should learn.”

Richard, who claims to be a reasonably bright guy, can’t read Shakespeare and thinks it is too hard for today’s students. CCSS requires at least one Shakespeare play in the 11-12 strand (and one American). Logically, then, should the Shakespeare requirement be there? I mean, I’m an idiot for teaching it, so my opinion doesn’t count. Anybody field test this?